Relationship with Humanity Apart from Doing

I recently read a journal entry at Uncommon Voices Collective from my good friend, Daniel Fong, about God's desire for relationship with us that isn't based upon doing good works. I wanted to pass it along to you, as I trust his thoughts will bless you.

Addressing our mistaken theology of 'works righteousness'

FOUNDER OF MILLION DOLLAR BABY

Chapters 21 and 22 of Revelation describes the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem. Revelation 21:3 reads: 

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” 

— Revelation 21:3

To me, it is absolutely crystal clear that the purpose of creation is for God to be with humanity. That is the ultimate will of God in no uncertain terms: relationship with humanity.

It is my faith and hope that the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem will come. That is a promise from God that we can ‘take to the bank’ so to speak. Let us see clearly that this event in the future is not dependent on any of us or any person or groups of people. God does not necessarily need our help to make this a reality. 

This devotional focuses on the mistaken theology that we need to do things “for” God. God does not need us to do anything for him. God simply wants us to “be” with him. By being with him, that’s conforming our identity with the identity of God in the person of Jesus Christ. Gal 2:20 reads,

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me.”

— Galatians 2:20

When we allow Christ to live in us, our doing, and our behavior will be a natural outflow of the Holy Spirit. We can confirm that in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit in us when we look at the mirror and see the reflection of love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. That’s the fruit of the Holy Spirit. If you do not see that reflection in the mirror of yourself, then Gal 2:20 to you may just be an aspiration. You may still be unclear about what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.

Without fully being identified with the character of Jesus Christ, we shall default to doing things for God as a way to be good and faithful followers. We assume that our work and effort will replace the need for our crucifixion. From my observation, Christians have replaced the dead weight of sin and death with the dead weight of good works in the name of God and for God. The popular, but erroneous, attention to “my calling”, ”my vocation”, and “my ministry'' are reflections of an identity confusion about who we are and what we should do. Why? Because we have been taught by tradition and societal pressures that our identity is solely based on our doing, which would help us accumulate possessions, accomplishments, accolades, reputation and ultimately, our reward from God. I have come to the understanding that my identity comes from the crucifixion of old self-centered identities and to allow my doing to be a natural outflow of the Holy Spirit when the identity of Jesus Christ replaces my old one.

This realization is supported by Romans 8:2

“For The law of the spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” 

— Romans 8:2

As I have said before, my observation is that Christians have replaced the dead weight of sin and death with the dead weight of good works. Instead of being free, Christians are anxious, worried, angry, dissatisfied, frustrated, and have, throughout church history, thought that the world is heading in the wrong direction and that we Christians need to do, not just something, but as much as we can to change directions. Why? So that the new heaven, new earth, and the new Jerusalem will come? And that only through our diligent and faithful work will God fulfill his promise? Is that really what the Bible teaches us? Is that really God’s will?

To me, the law of sin and death is like gravity. It is a law that no one can defy. However, when we get into a hot air balloon and rise (thanks to the law of thermodynamics), we can rise and defy gravity. In a similar fashion, the law of the spirit of life can lift us up and away from the dead weight. We need to get into that hot air balloon of Christ. When we rely on our own work and effort in the form of our calling, our vocation, or our ministry, we remain on the ground and while not escaping from the gravity of sin and death, we add to our stress and burden with the dead weight of good works. It is not the law of good works that will set us free, it is the law of the spirit of life.

May this devotional be a taste of an eternal sabbath in Christ Jesus and lead to a better understanding of Jesus’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount regarding Jesus’ encouragement in the Book of Matthew. “Do not be anxious and do not worry about tomorrow”. As we read Revelation chapters 21 & 22 as our daily devotional today, let us not find ourselves trying to be as busy as possible in doing things for God. That’s not God’s will. God’s focus is on our being and our willingness to be with him 24/7.

Daniel Fong

More Information

This article has been reposted with permission; it was originally published on June 1, 2022 located here:

https://uncommonvoicescollective.space/foundersupdate

Photo courtesy of Daniel Fong

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Joe Handley

President at A3.business

Dr. Joseph W Handley, Jr. is currently president of A3.business. Joe was born and raised in Southern California. He attended Azusa Pacific University (APU) where he earned a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in Theology. Joe served nine years at APU where he was the founding director of their Office of World Missions and leader of one of the first multi-national high school mission congresses in Mexico City in 1996. The Lord then called him to Rolling Hills Covenant Church in 1998 where Joe served as the Global Outreach Pastor and later the Associate Pastor for Outreach Ministries. In 2008, Joe answered the call of God to become the president of A3, a leader development movement that began in 1967 which launched A3.business in 2015. Recently, Joe completed his Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary.

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